Match-machine.



.PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903. M. A. SHBLDON. MATCH MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1901.

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PATENTED'JAN. 13, 1903.

M. A. SHELDON. MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY e. 1901.

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PATENTBD- JAN. 13, 190s` M. A. sHELDoN. MATCH MACHINE.

APPLIOA TION FILED MAY 6, 1901.

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No. 713,393. y -PATBNTBD JAN. 13, 19,03.

11.11. SHELDON.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY e, 1901.

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PTENTED JAN. 13, M. A. SHELDON.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY e. 1901..

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Nrrsn STATES FATENT Ormea..

MARK A. SHELDON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ALEXANDER MOVITTIE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MATCH-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,393, dated January 13, 1903.

Application led May 6, 1901. Serial No. 58,989. (No model) To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARK A. SVHELDON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Vayne and State of Michigan, have` invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-ll/Iachines, of which the following is a specification, ret'- erence being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to that class of continuous match-machines in which the matchsplints are supplied to a splint-feeding de- Shown in Fig. 6.

vice which sticks the splints into au endless carrier traveling in front of the feeding device and which carrier is adapted to receive and hold the splints while being converted into the finished matchesgand my invention particularly relates to certain improvements in the construction of the splint-feeding device and in a carrier adapted to operate in connection therewith, all as more fully hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device for feeding the match-splints to the carrier, together with a portion of the carrier. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a crosssection on line a: x, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a crosssection on line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is apian, partly in horizontal section, on line fu u in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the hopper detached. Fig. S is a cross-section on line w w,Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a part of the section shown in Fig. 2, illustrating the operation of the parts. Fig. 10 is an elevation of a portion of the carrier, partly in section. Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section of the carrier on a larger scale and illustrating the operation of the splint-feeding mechanism.

In the drawings, 1 represents a horizontal bed-frame upon which is secured near the discharge end of the machine horizontal feedtable 2, free to vibrate laterally, said table being secured upon the frame by screw-bolts 3, passing through slots 4f in the table, as clearly Upon this feed-table is secured between longitudinal guides 5 the reciprocating sticking-plate 6, formed at its discharge end with a series of longitudinallyprojecting splint-guides 7, forming interstices between them to receive individual match-splints. Thesesplint-guidesarerounded ou top, and the end of the sticking-plate forms shoulders 8 between the guides for the 55 ends of the match-splints.

A feed-box 9 is supported above the sticking-plate free to vibrate laterally between two fixed standards 10 of the frame, springs 11 being interposed between the sides of the 6o box and the standards to hold the box normally in position. The feed-box is divided by longitudinal vertical partitions 12 into compartments, each adapted to hold a quantity of splints in the longitudinal direction of A the machine. The bottoms of the compartments are formed by the reciprocating sticking-plate, and the sides of the'compartments are formed by the feed-box except the side toward the discharge end of the machine, 7o

standards 14, and is held down by a spring 16,

all as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

Above the feed-box is mounted an inclined and longitudinally-vibratingslideway 17. The lower or discharge end of this slidewayis supported upon the standards 10 of the frame by 8o means of flanges 60 on the sides of the slideway,and the upper end rests upon aframe-support 2O,` being secured thereto by a bolt 2l, passing through a longitudinal slot 22 in the support, whereby the hopper is free to vibrate longitudinally. The upper end of theslideway is provided with any 'desired means for supplying it with splints, the drawings showing the upper end merely enlarged to form a hopper-like receptacle 18, adapted to hold 9o 'splints in bulk.

The slideway is divided by partitions 23 into separate ways corresponding with the splintholding compartments of the feed-boxv and leading into the same by having the bottom of said ways terminate at the junction with the feed-box, while the sides ot the ways 'eX- tend overthe feed-box.

The bottom of the slideway changes near the discharge end to a level, and in this level loo portion is formed a transverse slot., in which is journalcd a serrated feed-roller 24. The

, the roller.

face of this roller projects above the bottom of the discharge-way, except that the portion 25 at the extreme end beyond the roller is made, preferably, on a level with the top of Above the feed-roller in each ot' the separate ways is mounted a pressure-foot 26, eac-h adapted to bear upon the top of the roller. These pressure-feet are pivotally secured upon the transverse rod 27 and extend with their free ends, which are free to rise and fall, over the roller and the portion of the ways beyond it, and each has a shoulder 2S formed on its under side in advance of the roller.

Motion is communicated to the parts by means of a drive-shaft 45, journaled laterally of the frame and carrying a pinion 46, which imparts motion to a shaft 29 through a gearwheel 47, and the shaft 29 imparts motion to another shaft 30, which is journaled longitudinally of the frame upon brackets 3l through the intermediate bevelgears 32. The shaft 29 carries a ratchet-wheel 33, and an arm 34, secured to the under side of the slideway and carrying a striker-plate 35, which is held to bear against the face of the ratchet-wheel by a spring 36, imparts to the slideway a quick to-and-fro motion. The shaft 30 carries a ratchet-Wheel 37, and the feed-box has secured to it a striker-plate 38, which projects into the path of the teeth of said ratchet-wheel, whereby the motion of the shaft 30 imparts a continuous lateral vibration to the feed-box. The shaft 30 also has secured upon it two segmental ratchetwheels 39, having only a few ratchet-teeth, and to the adjacent ends of the feed-table are secured two striker-arms 40, projecting into the path ofthe ratchet-teeth and cooperating with two springs 4l, (see Fig. 5,) secured beneath the feed-table and operating by their tension to hold the striker-arms in the path of the ratchet-teeth, all so arranged that at certain fixed intervals in the revolution of the shaft 30 a lateral vibrating motion is imparted to the feed-table, in which motion the stickingplate partakes as itis embedded in the feedtable.

The sticking-plate 6 is reciprocatingly actuated by means of a connecting-rod 4t2, fastened to a crank-pin 43 on the ratchet-wheel 33, and motion is imparted to the feed-roller 24E by means of a sprocket-and-chain connection with the drive-shaft.

The parts being constructed and arranged as described and shown are intended to operate as follows: If splints are thrown into the upperend of the slideway or supplied in bulk into the hopper, the constant to-and-fro motion will cause them to feed down the slideway orslideways, and as these are made suliciently narrow the splints are vstraightened out. At the lower end of the slideway the pressure-foot, aided by its shoulder 28 and by the bevel portion of the bottom, prevents the free discharge of the splints, and only the bottomsplints are pulled along by making contact with the sharpened face of the feedroller owing to the pressure-foot holding them down upon it. Splints thus carried forward ,by the motion of the roller pass beneath the pressure-foot and are thus held down and pre- Vented from falling till each splint reaches the very bottom. At the instant each splint is released it is thus in a perfectly horizontal position and entirely free to drop into the feedboX (the interior length of which is greater than the length of the splint) without one end falling in advance of the other, and the result is that the splints will pile up in the different compartments of the feed-box in perfect horizontal layers, and it will make no difference if there are any short or broken splints. In the use of square match-splints it will also be seen that as each splint is carried over the feed-roll with one of its flat sides down it will fall into the feed-box the same way, and thus the slints pile up in layers, aided by the vibrating motion of the feedbox. The feed roller having a concerted movement with the other moving parts of the machine revolves fast enough to keep up the supply of splints in the feed-box; but if from one cause or another the supply of splints in the feed-box should become low it will make no disturbance. From the feedbox the splints are fed to the reciprocating sticking-plate, which in its most rearward position has its slotted portion directly below the feed-box, while at the same instant segmental ratchets 39 strike the arms 40 of the feed-table, and thereby impart to the stickingplate a jarring lateral motion, which causes individual splints to enter into the interstices between the splint-guides. By the forward motion of the sticking-plate these splints will be carried along with the plate as the shoulders S impinge against the end of the splints, while the guides hold the splints between them. Thus confined they are carried out of the box beneath the plate 13 to the discharge end of the machine far enough to have the projecting ends of the splints enter the splint-holding devices of a suitable carrier adapted to receive rows of splints and traveling in vertical guides at the end of the feed-table with a step-by-step motion in the usual manner.

Most of the known constructions of endless carriers having perforations, interstices, or other equivalent means for sticking rows of splints into them maybe used in connection with my feeding device; but the construction of carrier shown in the drawings may be used with particular advantage for .making the kind of matches which require dipping the splint at both ends, one end receiving the igniting composition and the other end being dipped into a solution, making the splint noncombustible. This carrier, a short section of which is shown in the drawings, is composed of a series of like frames hinged together, each frame secured midway of its length on opposite sides to ordinary sprocket-chains 5G ICO IIO

of two side bars'l and a series of cross-barsV 52, rigidly secured to the side bars at equal distances apart. Each cross-bar is formed alike, with a series of grooves 53 in one side and with a series of spring-fingers 54 secured to the other side. These fingers are preferably cut of asingle plate of sheet metal, united at the base, like the teeth of a comb, by a continuous portion 55, which is secured to the cross-bar, while the fingers are bent back U shape upon the base and extend opposite the grooves of the adjacent bar, forming therewith spring-jaws for holding match-splints.

While splint-carriers composed of plates hinged together and provided with splint-receiving devices of the character described are not new, I have adopted this type of carrier to produce a new result in connection with mysplint-feedingdevice. TothisendI make the spaces between the fingers large enough to form passages for the splint-guides, and instead of sticking merely the ends of the splints into the spring-jaws I shove the splints through the carrier, so that they project at both ends, and in doing so the splint-guides pass through the intervals between the fingers and hold and guide the splints while being stuck into the carrier. I also preferably curve the spring-fingers in the manner shown to clamp the splint at two separate points, so that it will be held more firmly in the carrier.

As my improvements are directly applicable to other match-machines of like character in present use and will bel fully understood Without reference to any other parts required to make a complete working matchmachine, I have omitted to show or describe any parts which have no bearing on my invention.

What I claim as my invention isl. In a splint-feeding niechanism, the combination with a splint-feeding slideway and a box or receptacle below the end of the slideway to receive the falling splints, of a pressure-foot in the end of the slideway beneath which the splints have to pass, saidpressurefoot coperating with the slideway to hold each splint from falling before reaching the end of the slideway.

2. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination with a splint-feeding slideway and a box or receptacle at the end of the slideway and' adapted to receive the falling splints from said slideway, of a pressure-plate above and coextensive with the end portion of the bottom of the slideway and adapted to coperate therewith to hold the splints from falling before reaching the end of the slideway and a feed-roller below said pressure-plate and coperating therewith to feed the splints beneath said plate. f

3. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination with a slideway communicating at one end with a source of splint-supply, and at its other end with a compartment or box placed beneath the end andadapted to receive the falling splints from said slideway, of means for feeding the splints through said slideway, and a pressure-foot in the discharge end of the slideway above the bottom thereof and adapted to bear upon the ends of the splints in passing beneath said pressure-foot. 4. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination with a slideway arranged and adapted to conduct splints from a source of supply and discharge them into a compartment or box below its discharge end, of a pressurefoot at the discharge end of the slideway adapted to bear upon the ends of the splints and hold them from falling before leaving the end of the slideway.

5. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination with a slideway arranged and adapted to conduct splints from a source of supply 4into a box or compartments below the disslideway,

6. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination of a splint-feeding slideway having its bottom inclined from the upper end to near the lower end, and provided with a level portion at the lower end, a pressure-foot `mounted in said slideway above said level portion and adapted to bear upon the splints in leaving the slideway and means for controlling the passage of splints beneath said pressure-foot.

7. In a splint-feeding mechanism,the combination of a splint-feeding slideway having its bottom inclined from the upper end to near the lower end and provided with a level y IIO splint-supply at the upper end thereof, means for agitating the slide to feed the splints to the lower end of the slideway, a transverse slot in said lower end, a feed-roller journaled in said slot and a pressure-foot adapted to bear upon the roller and extending over the end of the slideway beyond the roller and cooperating therewith to prevent the splints from falling after passing the roller.

, 9. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination of a slideway communicating at its upper end with a source of splint-supply, and having an inclined bottom terminating at its lower end in a substantially level portion, a transverse slot in said level portion, a feedroller journaled in said slot, means for agitating the slideway,-and a pressure-foot having a bearing-face extending over the roller and the end of the bottom of the slideway beyond Lthe roller.

IO. In asplint-feedingmechanism, the coinbination of a splint-feeding slideway having an inclined bottom terminating at its lower end in a substantially level portion, an opening in said level portion, a feed-roller transversely journaled in said opening and projecting with its periphery above said opening, and a pressure-foot adapted to bear upon the splints in passing over the feed'- roller, the bearing-face of said pressure-foot being substantially on a level and extending beyond the feed-roller to the end of the bottom of the slideway.

l1. Inasplint-feeding mechanism, the combination of a splint-feeding slideway having an inclined bottom terminating at its lower end in a substantially level portion, an opening in said level portion, a transverse feedroller projecting through said opening, and a pressure-foot above the feed-roller and adapted to cooperate therewith to feed the splints over the roller, said pressure-foot having a shoulder in advance of the feed-roller for the purpose of insuring a uniform passage of splints over the roller.

l2. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination of a splint-feeding slideway having an inclined bottom, level near its lower end, a transverse feed-roller in an opening near said lower end and projecting with its periphery through said opening, into the slideway, and a pressure-foot having a bearingplate extending over the roller and over the portion of the bottom of the slideway beyond the roller, said portion being substantially on a level with the top of the roller.

13. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination of an inclined splint-feeding slideway having a hopper at the upper end thereof, adapted to receive splints in bulk and feed the same unto the slide way, a box at the lower end of the slideway and adapted to receive the splints as they fall from the slideway, a pressure-plate pivotally secured free to rise and fall in the slideway and adapted to bear upon the splints in leaving the end of the slideway, a shoulder on said pressure-plate adapted to bar the passage of more than one layer ol' splints beneath said plate, and a feedroller transverselyjournaled in an opening in the bottom of the slideway beneath the pressure-plate and adapted to cooperate therewith to feed the splints beneath the pressurefoot.

let. Ina splint-feeding mechanism, the combination of an inclined slideway adapted to feed splints from a source of supply into a box or receptacle, a pressure-plate pivotally secured in the slideway free to rise and fall and adapted to bear upon the splints in leaving the end of the slideway, and a feed-roller in an opening in the bottom of the slideway belon7 the pressure-plate and adapted to cooperate with the pressure-bar to feed the splints beneath the pressure-plate, said pressure-plate projecting in advance of the roller and having a shoulder operating` to bar the passage of more than one layer of splints between the pressure-bar and the top of the feed-roller.

l. In a splint-feeding mechanism,the combination of a slideway having its bottom formed with an incline, and with a level. portion at the foot of the incline, means for supplying splints into the slideway at the top of theincline, a box or receptacle beyond and below the level portion of the slideway to receive the falling splints, means for agitating the slideway to feed the splints from the source of supply to the foot of the inclined portion of the slideway, a transverse feedroller mounted in an opening in the level portion of the slideway and projecting into the same, anda pressure-plate secured above the roller free to rise and fall and adapted to cooperate with the roller and with the end of the slideway beyond the roller to feed the splints beneath said pressure-plate and keep them from falling till they reach the end of the slideway, said pressure-plate projecting in advance ot the roller and forming a shoulder adapted to bar the entrance of more than one layer of splints beneath it.

IG. In a splint-feedingmechanism,the combination of the inclined slideway I7, having means for agitating the same, the feed-hopper IS mounted upon the upper end thereof, the longitudinal partitions 23 dividing the slideway, the feed-roller 2l transversely journaled in an opening in the bottom of the slideway, and the pressure-feet 2G pivotally mounted in the slideway above the feed-roller, one in each division of the slideway, and adapted to cooperate with the roller and with the bottom of the slideway to discharge the splints from the slideway in a horizontal position, each jn'essure-foot extending in advance of the feed-roller and forming a shoulder operating as a stop to regulate the passage of the splints beneath the pressure-foot.

17. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination with a supporting bed-frame, of a s\, lint-feeding slideway, a source for supplying the same with splints, a laterally-vibrating feed-box below the end ot' the slideway adapted to receive the falling splints, means in the slideway to insure a horizontal discharge of the splints from said slideway, a reciprocating sticking-plate below the feedbox formed at its forward end with longitudinal projections or splint-guides adapted to receive individual splints in the interstices between the same, a feed-table upon which said sticking-plate is supported in longitudinal guides, means for imparting periodically a vibrating motion to the feed-table and a carrier at the end of the feed-table adapted to receive the row of splints from the sticking-plate.

1S. In asplint-feeding mechanism, the combination of a reciprocating sticking-plate havlIO ing slots or interstices adapted to receive individual splints and stick the same into a carrier, of a feed-box mounted above s aid sticking-plate free to vibrate and adapted to supply the same with splints, means for vibrating the feed-box laterally independently of the sticking-plate, a feed-table upon which said sticking-plate is supported free to reciprocate in longitudinal guides in said table and means for impartinga periodically-yibrating motion to the feed-table.

19. In a splint-feeding mechanism,the combination of a reciprocating sticking plate having slots or interstices adapted to receive individual splints and stick the same into a carrier, a feed-table upon which said sticking-plate is supportedin longitudinal `guides, means for periodically vibrating said feedtable, a feed-box supported upon said table free to vibrate independently thereof and adapted to supply the stickingplate with splints and aslidewayleading into the top ofthe feed-box and adapted to supply the same with splints, said slide having a longitudinal to-and-fro motion independently of the feedbox.

20. In asplint-feeding mechanism,the combination with a horizontal supporting-frame, a feed-table mounted upon said frame, means for vibrating said feed-table periodically, a reciprocating sticking-plate mounted in longitudinal guides upon said feed-table and provided with slots in its forward end adapted to receive a row of individual splints, a carrier beyond the end of the feeding-table adapted to receive the splints from said stickingplate, a feed-box mounted upon the feedta ble above the sticking-plate free to vibrate and adapted to supply the sticking-plate with splints, an inclined slideway leading into the top of the feed-box and adapted to supply the same with splints, a feed-hopper surmounting the upper end of said slideway and adapted to receive splints in bulk, and means applied to said slideway for feeding the matches from said hopper into the feed-box.

2l. In a splint-feeding mechanism,the combination of an inclined slideway communicating atits upper end withasource of splintsupply, and adapted to discharge the splints at its lower end, a feed-box below said lower end in position to receive the falling splints, means in the end of the slideway to cause the splints to pass beyond the end of the slide- Way before falling, means to vibrate the feedbox laterally, a feed-table below said feedbox, means for periodically vibrating said feed-table, a reciprocating sticking-plate secured in horizontal guides in the feed-table below the feed-box, and provided with longitudinal slots adapted to receive a row of individual splints from said feed-box, and a carrier adapted to receive the splints from the sticking-plate.

22. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination witha splint-receiving feed-box and a reciprocating sticking-plate adapted to receive the splints from said feed-box, of a splintfeeding slideway communicating a t one end with a source of splint-supply and adapted to discharge said splints at the other end free to fall into the feed-box, and means in the discharge end of the slideway for pre venting the splints from falling before reachl ing the end of the slideway.

23. In a splint-feeding mechanism,the combination with a splint-receiving feed-box and a reciprocating sticking-plate arranged below the feed boX and adapted to receive the splints from said feed-box, of a splint-feeding slideway communicating at one end With a source of splint-supply and adapted to discharge said splints at the other end free to fall into the feed-box, and means in the slideway to bear upon the ends of the splints as they leave the slideway, to prevent them from falling before reaching the end of the slideway.

24. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination with a splint-receiving feed-box and a reciprocating sticking-plate arranged .below the feed-boxand adapted to receive the splints from said feed-box, of an inclined splint-feeding slideway communicating at its upper end with a source of splint-supply and adapted to discharge said splints at the lower end free to fall into the feed-box and means at the discharge end of the slideway adapted t0 bear upon the ends of the splints to prevent them from falling before leaving the end of the slideway, the-end of the'slideway being formed upon a level.

25. In asplint-feeding mechanism, the com-l bination with a splint-receiving feed-box and a reciprocating sticking-plate arranged below the feed-box and adapted to receive the splints from said feed-box, of an inclined splint-feeding slidewayleading with its lower end into the top of the feed-box and adapted to discharge the splints endwisefree to fall into said box, said slideway and feed-box correspondingly divided by partitions into compartments, the compartments of the slideways forming separate Ways for the splints, each provided in its lower end with means for preventing' the splints from falling into the feedbox before leaving the end of the slideway.

26. In a splint-feeding mechanism, the combination with the frame, the feed-table supported thereon free to vibrate laterally and the carrier at the end of the feed-table adapted to receive a row of splints, of a recipro eating sticking-plate held in guides upon the IIo feed-table and adapted to receive a row of iny and a springr to hold said plate in normal po sition.

2". In asplint-feeding mechanism, the com bination with the supporting-frame, the feed* table thereon, the carrier at the end of the feed-table adapted to receive rows of splints and the reciprocating splint-.sticking plate upon the feed-table and adapted to receive a row of individual splints and stick the same into the carrier, of the feed -box mounted above the sticking-plate and adapted to sup ply the same with splints the standards 10 on the frame between which the feedbox is supported, the springs 1l interposed between said standards and the ends of the feed-box, means for vibrating the feed-box, the separate plate 13 forming the side of the feed-box on which the splints are discharged, said plate secured in position independently ofthe feedbox free to rise and fall and the spring 16 vertically pressing upon said plate and normally holding it in position with its lower edge in close proximity to the sticking-plate.

2S. In a splint-feeding mechanism, an inclined splint-feeding slideway adapted to receive splints from a source of splint-supply at its upper end and discharge the same at the lower end free to fall, and a Weight in the lower end of the slideway adapted to bear upon the ends of the splints in leaving the slideway to prevent them from falling before leaving the end of the slideway, said end being formed upon a horizontal plane.

29. In a splint-feeding device, the combination of an inclined splint-feeding slideway communicating at one end with a source of splint-supply, means in said slideway to insure a uniform passage of splints through the slideway to the opposite ends and a Weightin the end of the slideway to bear upon the ends of t-he splints and prevent them from falling before leaving the end of the slideway.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARK A. SHELDON.

Witnesses:

O'rtro F. BARTHEL, JOSEPH A. NOELKE. 

